Aideen Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
You’ve made a huge leap, by looking for a counsellor! I hope to help and accompany you through your struggles at your pace every step of your journey.
Everybody’s life experiences are unique, therefore everyone’s counselling session is individual to their own needs.
Some clients may attend counselling for a few 1 hour sessions, however it is advised to have continuity, approx 6 weeks sessions, to get the best support and outcome. If you feel more support is needed after this period you can review and discuss with me. Weekly, fortnightly or monthly sessions is at your preference and your pace.
Variations of counselling includes face to face, phone calls, video or walking therapy, your choice!
The beauty of person centred counselling is that you are self directed to navigate the counselling sessions to what feels right for you at any moment in time. Where you begin, or where you revisit is at your discretion, as You are in control. No pressure or expectations of what you have to discuss is required.
This style of counselling enables you to untangle or pick through recurring unhealthy patterns in your life, by self reflection. This insight helps you to gain a deeper understanding of your lifestyle choices and your emotions. In time self-healing provides a healthy growth of your self-esteem, self-respect and self-worth. Which promotes a gradual increase of your self-awareness. Thus improving your confidence and energy to motivate you to make changes you feel are necessary, to be your best self, yourself . You empower yourself! You believe in yourself - you are worthy and you are enough!
Talking to someone that shows you empathy and compassion, helps you to feel at ease to trust another with your emotions, to freely express your feelings, knowing you are truly heard in a safe confidential space. To speak to another helps to make sense of how you feel and why.
In time you will let go of what no longer serves you.
If you have been drawn to this page, trust your gut feelings and contact me by email or text message or leave me a voicemail. I will endeavour to get back in touch with you at my earliest convenience.
If you would like to begin or continue your counselling journey. The first initial call will be free, and it may confirm for you whether I’m the right person for you to talk to. This is an opportunity to ask any questions about counselling or reiki.
It would be my absolutely pleasure to assist and work along side you.
I have a lot of experience working with children also, as I worked as a learning mentor for many years with children from 4 to 16 years. I therefore can adapt sessions to meet their individuals needs.
I am also a Reiki master and Angelic practitioner. Some people like to vary their sessions by having alternative sessions, a reiki session and then a counselling session.
Again your choice.
I look forward to meeting you. Love and light Aideen x
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Person Centred Counselling.
- Level 3 Counselling skills.
- Level 2 Introduction to HE Counselling.
- Certification of advancement in Learning Mentoring.
- Diploma in Nursery Nursing (NNEB)
- Diploma: Preliminary Certification in Social Care ( PCSC)
- B/TEC 1st Diploma in Caring.
- First, Second and Reiki Master in USUI System of Natural Healing.
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Degree of Angelic Reiki.
- I hold Enhanced and Basic DBS Certifications
Experience
I have had a lot of experience working with a wide range of people and children of all ages. I am the eldest of 6 siblings and have naturally been a nurturing person. I’m a mother of two teenage boys, 16 and 19.
I’ve been involved with a variety of volunteer positions, from assisting in scouting to working with the Samaritans. I was involved working with a local charity Motherwell, during lockdown doing befriending calls, and also counselling calls. I also volunteered as a chairperson for a local preschool for many years.
I have worked in Primary schools helping children and family’s to work together and in 1 to 1 sessions, helping them to over coming emotional problems.
I’ve also worked with children with special needs.
I’ve experience counselling in a local high school as part of my placement for my degree.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).
Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.
Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.
All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£40.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
- £40 a session.
Student discount - also discretion for single parents or low income families.
When I work
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Further information
I work from home in my cabin at the bottom of the garden. Access is through the side gate of property and parking is available.
Recent testimonials - I also have other testimonials on my website.
Child aged 7 and her mother -
"Aideen is a lovely lady and she has helped me a lot. Aideen has helped me talk about why I am worried and to understand how to control my feelings. Each visit was a lot of fun! “
“I can’t thank Aideen enough for the work she has done with my daughter. From the initial phone call Aideen has taken the time to understand and listen to our concerns as parents but most importantly to my daughter. After only a couple of sessions, we saw an improvement in the way she dealt her anxieties and also the way she communicated them to us. She felt comfortable enough to attend the sessions with Aideen alone and always left with a smile, new knowledge and understanding of coping strategies. Aideen’s work has been invaluable in returning confidence and self believe to her. "
Another parents review -
"I can't recommend Aideen highly enough. She's has taken time to build a relationship with my children, giving them a safe space to open up to her. I have seen their confidence grow across the time she's spent with them. They really enjoy their sessions with her and look forward to going."
Teenager aged 13
"I feel counselling has made me feel really confident about myself and talking through my problems as made me feel positive about myself and about things. "
Child aged 11
"Aideen has helped me because whenever I talk about something she always listens. Counselling gives me a happy mind.”
